Low-income Urban African American Adolescents Research Articles

Subtypes of Bullying and Friends’ Delinquency: Is Religiosity a Moderator?

Increasingly, bullying research has focused on identifying protective factors associated with bullying involvement (e.g., victim, perpetrator) and adverse outcomes. In this study, religiosity was examined as a protective factor in the relationship between bullying involvement and friends’ delinquency among a large sample of low-income urban African American adolescents ( N = 753). Analysis of the cross-sectional data indicated that bullying perpetration, victimization, and victimization/perpetration were positively associated with greater friends’ delinquency. Further, adolescents who bullied others were less likely to report having friends engaging in delinquency when they reported attending church or other religious services. Also, adolescents who reported both victimization and perpetration of bullying, who placed great importance on religious or spiritual beliefs, were less likely to associate with friends engaging in delinquency. This study demonstrates how religiosity should be considered in bullying prevention and intervention efforts.

Maternal and Family Correlates of Intrinsic Religiosity Profiles Among Low-Income Urban African American Adolescents.

National trends show that African American adolescents, relative to most other demographic groups, are more religious, and show fewer declines in religiosity, despite drastic decreases in religiosity among youth over the past 25 years. These broad findings are limiting because they fail to acknowledge religious heterogeneity among African American teens. Further, there are few empirical investigations of the transmission of religiosity within African American families. Building on a recent study that identified three distinctive profiles of intrinsic religiosity in a sample of low-income African American adolescents who were followed over four years (N = 326; Youth Mage = 12.1, SD = 1.6 years; 54% female), the present study examined contributions of maternal religiosity and family emotional climate in distinguishing these profiles. Univariate analyses revealed that maternal religious attendance and commitment, adolescents' felt acceptance from mothers and the emotional climate in the home differentiated youth who retained high levels of intrinsic religiosity (41%) from youth who declined in religiosity (37%) or who had low levels of religiosity (22%). Multivariate analyses showed that after accounting for demographic covariates, felt acceptance from mothers differentiated adolescents with high versus low levels of religiosity; both maternal religious attendance and felt acceptance from mothers distinguished adolescents who retained high levels of religiosity from youth who declined in religiosity. Implications for family dynamics in African American adolescent religious development and well-being are discussed.

Effects of Coping-Skills Training in Low-Income Urban African-American Adolescents with Asthma

Background. Minority teens with asthma are at particular risk for this life-threatening disease due to increased morbidity and mortality rates in addition to the normal challenges of adolescence. Objective. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (n = 137) was to determine the effects of a coping-skills training program (intervention) compared with standard asthma education (attention control) in African-American teens with asthma. Methods. Adolescents were recruited from five African-American dominant high schools serving low-income areas of Chicago. Data were collected at baseline, 2 months (immediately following the intervention), 6 months, and 12 months. Results. Both groups improved over time, with significant increases in asthma-related quality of life, asthma knowledge, and asthma self-efficacy, accompanied by decreases in symptom days and asthma-related school absences. Conclusions. Findings suggest that coping-skills training as implemented in this study provided no additional benefit beyond that experienced in the control group. However, group-based interventions delivered in the school setting may be beneficial for low-income, minority teens with asthma.

Effects of Coping Skills Training in Low-Income Urban African-American Adolescents with Asthma

Effects of Coping Skills Training in Low-Income Urban African-American Adolescents with Asthma

Use of Technology with Health Care Providers: Perspectives from Urban Youth

To evaluate urban youths' use of and access to technology and solicit their opinions about using technology with healthcare providers. Urban youth (aged 14-24 years) were invited to participate in focus groups in which a trained focus group facilitator used a survey and a structured guide to elicit responses regarding the foregoing objective. All sessions were audiotaped and transcribed. Emergent themes were determined with the assistance of Atlas TI. Survey data were analyzed in SPSS (SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois). Eight focus groups including 82 primarily low-income urban African-American adolescents and young adults (mean age, 18.5 years) were completed. The participants reported fairly high access to and use of technology. However, they expressed some concerns regarding the use of technology with healthcare providers. Many worried about the confidentiality of conversations conducted using technology. Face-to-face meetings with a healthcare provider were preferred by most participants, who felt that the information provided would be better tailored to their individual needs and more credible. Although urban youth were high users of technology, they expressed reservations about using technology with health care providers. When developing new technology communication and information dissemination strategies, it is critical to understand and address these concerns while involving young people in the research and development process.

Dietary Intake Patterns of Low-Income Urban African-American Adolescents

Unhealthy eating increases risks for chronic disease. Few studies have examined the multifaceted aspects of dietary intake of low-income, urban African-American adolescents. This study aimed to describe dietary patterns including energy, nutrients, food groups, and diet quality and to identify areas to guide future interventions. Baseline data for a school-based obesity prevention study were collected from 382 African-American adolescents (10- to 14-year-olds) from four Chicago, IL, public schools in 2003. Diet was assessed using a 152-item food frequency questionnaire. Diet quality was measured using a modified version of the US Department of Agriculture Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and compared to published estimates for a nationwide sample. Participants reported high energy intakes and several unhealthy eating patterns: 58.6% consumed one or more servings of sweetened beverages per day and 15.7% consumed three or more servings per day; average fried food consumption was high (1.4 servings/day), 58.4% consumed one or more serving per day; and 75% consumed three or more three snacks per day. Only 49% of participants met the recommended three servings of dairy foods per day. Compared to a national, mostly white sample, participants had lower HEI scores ( P<0.05); mean score was 66.0±12.8 (100=maximum HEI score) vs 70.3±13.0 in boys vs girls, one third had scores <60 (“needs improvement”) and only 15% scored >80 (“good”). This study reveals key areas of problematic dietary patterns for future interventions targeting low-income African-American adolescents, including frequent intakes of calorie-dense, low nutrient-rich foods, such as fried foods, snacks, and sweetened beverages.

Measured body mass index, body weight perception, dissatisfaction and control practices in urban, low-income African American adolescents

BackgroundCurrent understanding of the associations between actual body weight status, weight perception, body dissatisfaction, and weight control practices among low-income urban African American adolescents is limited. The knowledge can help direct future intervention efforts.MethodsCross-sectional data including measured weight and height and self-reported weight status collected from 448 adolescents in four Chicago Public Schools were used.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) was 39.8%, but only 27.2% considered themselves as obese, although 43.4% reported trying to lose weight. Girls were more likely to express weight dissatisfaction than boys, especially those with BMI ≥ 95th percentile (62.9% vs. 25.9%). BMI ≥ 85th percentile girls were more likely to try to lose weight than boys (84.6% vs. 66.7%). Among all adolescents, 27.2% underestimated and 67.2% correctly judged their own weight status. Multinomial logistic models show that those with BMI ≥ 85th percentile, self-perceived as obese, or expressed body dissatisfaction were more likely to try to lose weight; adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 4.52 (2.53–8.08), 18.04 (7.19–45.30), 4.12 (1.64–10.37), respectively. No significant differences were found in diet and physical activity between those trying to lose weight and those not trying, but boys who reported trying to lose weight still spent more television time (P < 0.05).ConclusionGender differences in weight perception, body dissatisfaction, and weight control practices exist among African American adolescents. One-third did not appropriately classify their weight status. Weight perception and body dissatisfaction are correlates of weight control practices. Adolescents attempting to lose weight need be empowered to make adequate desirable behavioral changes.

Risk and Protective Factors for Depressive Symptoms in Urban African American Adolescents

There is limited understanding of risk and protective factors associated with depression among African American adolescents living in impoverished, urban settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify a range of risk and protective factors associated with depressive symptoms among low-income urban African American adolescents. The sample ( n = 467) comprised African American adolescents from three high-poverty urban neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland. A self-administered read aloud survey completed by adolescents assessed depressive symptoms as well as various individual- and environmental-level risk and protective factors. Multivariate analyses indicated that female gender, living with an adult with a substance abuse problem, greater exposure to physical violence, and greater peer delinquency were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Greater home assets and self-awareness were associated with lower depressive symptoms. Future interventions to prevent and treat depression among urban African American adolescents should focus on minimizing their risk factors while enhancing those factors found to be protective.

Coping patterns of African American adolescents: A confirmatory factor analysis and cluster analysis of the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist.

The current study examined patterns of coping strategies in a sample of 497 low-income urban African American adolescents (mean age = 12.61 years). Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the 4-factor structure of the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist (T. S. Ayers, I. N. Sandler, S. G. West, & M. W. Roosa, 1996) was not replicated in the current sample. The final model was a 3-factor model that was invariant across gender. The Active Coping factor and Revised Avoidant Coping factor were highly correlated in the present sample. Results of cluster analyses identified 2 coping groups differing on the frequency of coping use and preferred coping methods. The 1st group was more likely to use avoidant coping and less likely to use social support-seeking coping than the 2nd group, which showed more consistent use across coping strategies. There were no significant differences in the association between stressors and symptoms across the 2 groups. The results highlight the importance of examining factor structures of coping measures with underrepresented groups.

Impact of sexual networks on risk for gonorrhea and chlamydia among low-income urban African American adolescents

To determine whether African American adolescents, whose recent sex partners reported having another sex partner, are at increased risk for exposure to genital chlamydial infection or gonorrhea. A household sample of low-income urban African American adolescents 14 to 19 years of age, up to two of their close friends, and their sex partners were interviewed and tested for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection. Thirty-four of 145 adolescents had at least one recent sex partner infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis. The adjusted model showed that adolescents, whose recent sex partners reported having another sex partner, were more likely to have a recent sex partner with gonorrhea and/or chlamydial infection. In addition to individual factors, network factors may explain why African American adolescents are at increased risk for exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Multi-level community-based interventions may need to address network factors along with personal behaviors in order to prevent STIs among low-income urban African American adolescents.